


Black Sails Ficlets

by NahaFlowers



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, various warnings apply - i'll try and write them in the chapter summaries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 21:49:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 3,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13132908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NahaFlowers/pseuds/NahaFlowers
Summary: A collection of Black Sails ficlets prompted by people, originally posted on tumblr.Chapter 1: FlinthamiltonChapter 2: Maxanor+FlintChapter 3: FlinthamiltonChapter 4: FlinthamiltonChapter 5: MaxanorChapter 6: FlinthamiltonChapter 7: MaxanorChapter 8: Silver(flint)hamiltonChapter 9: MaxanneChapter 10: FlinthamiltonChapter 11: Flint/MirandaChapter 12: Jack/Max/Anne





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> written for moonflowers on tumblr!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for mentions of suicide

“Sometimes when I’m alone, I feel like I’m disappearing,” he says in an undertone. James has fallen asleep after Thomas insisted they go for a second round (not that James had minded). “Three months,” he says wistfully. “Remind me to never let you go for that long again.”

He hadn’t been asleep. Or rather, he had been, but the very whisper of Thomas’s voice had stirred the blood in his bones to waking, like a siren’s song calling him home. James had wondered if it would always be like this, if he would always be so attuned to Thomas’s presence that he was aware of every movement, every word, every breath.

He wonders no longer. As he holds the letter in his hands, informing Miranda (he is not even addressed, and he knows it is purposeful) of Thomas’s death by his own hand, he thinks of Thomas, thinks of the man so bright and alive disappearing inside himself, all alone in a dank cold cell, and _God_ , he has _never_  felt shame like this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flint joins Eleanor and Max in a little drunken tete-a-tete. Written for bisexualpirateheart on tumblr

“Fuck men!” cried Eleanor triumphantly, raising a glass of God-knows-what awful substance they’ve moved onto now.

“Yes!” agreed Max in a shout a little too loud for the hour. “But also-” she broke into giggles, “DON’T fuck men!”

Eleanor laughed like it was the funniest joke she had ever heard, and the two of them were bent double over Eleanor’s desk, still in stitches, when Flint came in.

“Room for one more?” he asked with a bemused smile, the black circles beneath his eyes crinkling. Eleanor frowned.

“No!” said, Max, slamming a bottle on the desk to punctuate her point, her voice lilting further into French in her drunken state. “We are saying _no_  to men!”

Eleanor rolled her eyes, leaning in to brush her lips against Max’s. “Flint’s alright, Flint doesn’t count,” she said quickly, flashing an apologetic grin up at him, but Flint looked far away, lost in his thoughts. “Pull up a chair, captain,” she said, all drunken officiousness. Flint grinned and did so.

“Fuck men, is it?” he asked, after he had poured himself a glass and drained it in one. “Does that mean you’ve finally got rid of Vane?”

“Yes!” exclaimed Eleanor. “And now,” she learned forward conspiratorially, “Max and I are together.”

“Eleanor!” said Max worriedly, just as Flint raised his eyebrows.

“It’s alright,” said Flint, reassuringly. “I won’t tell anyone.” He licked his lips, looking like he wanted to say more, but Eleanor beat him to it.

“He’s like us,” Eleanor said in a stage whisper. “Well,” she amended. “Except he _wants_  to fuck men!” Eleanor dissolved into giggles again and Flint rolled his eyes in Max’s direction, trying not to look too pained. Something like understanding flickered in Max’s eyes, and she carefully placed a hand on his, looking satisfied when he didn’t jerk away. They shared a look, and then turned back to Eleanor, who looked overjoyed.

“Do you approve, then?” asked Eleanor, looking anxious and pleased.

“Well, anyone would be an improvement on Vane,” he said, and Max snorted, while Eleanor looked a bit put out (but only a bit). “But yes, I do.” Eleanor smiled. “However,” he continued, “I think it’s time the two of you went to bed.”

Eleanor’s mouth twisted, looking up at him reproachfully. “How did you work that one out?”

“You asked for my approval. For you to ask for any man’s approval, you must be fucking pissed.”

Eleanor snorted and Max began laughing again, and James left them to it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anon asked for the prompt 'you're the only one I trust to do this'. Flinthamilton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nsfw

James was tense beneath him. Thomas paused in his ministrations, leaning down to James and kissing his hair.

“Are you alright, my love?”

James nodded, seemingly unable to speak. Thomas kissed his way down James’s bare back until he reached his arsehole, dipping his tongue into the already oily mess he had made of it. James gasped beneath him. It didn’t sound like a noise of displeasure, but Thomas drew back. It was the first time for both of them, and he wanted to make sure.

“We don’t have to, if you don’t want to, James,” he muttered softly. “If you’re not ready…”

“No,” James gasped out harshly. “I’ve never been more ready-” He blushed and Thomas watched with interest as the pink travelled down his back. “It’s just-” He took a deep breath and pressed his face into the pillow. “You’re the only one I trust to do this.”

“What was that, love?” Thomas asked, trying to sound casual, unsurprised about what he thought he had just heard. 

“I’ve never done this before,” James whispered, eyes closed so as not to look at Thomas. “You’re the only one I trust to do it.”

Thomas thought he knew what James was getting at, but he wanted to make sure. “You mean…you’ve never had sex with a man before?”

“No!” James said, and squeezed his eyes shut more tightly. “I mean I’ve never…never been-”

Thomas put him out of his misery. “You’ve never been penetrated before?” he asked, and James nodded in relief, although he blushed an even darker red.

“Yes- that,” he said.

“But you do want this?” He knew he was pushing the point a bit, but Thomas wanted to make doubly sure. He desperately wanted their first time together to be good - the last thing he wanted was for James to regret this.

“Yes! Christ, Thomas, how many times do I have to tell you? Just fuck me!!”

He buried his face in the pillows again, but was soon gasping and sighing as Thomas inserted one, then two, then three fingers, making sure to liberally apply oil each time. He wanted to make this as comfortable for James.

James let out an animal-like groan. “Fuck me, Thomas!” he cried with abandon, all embarrassment forgotten.

Thomas did.

James couldn’t look after him for about an hour afterwards, but he stayed when Thomas asked him to, and let Thomas hold him, and the next morning he woke Thomas up with kisses, so that was all right, Thomas thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon asked for the prompts "I thought you were dead" and "It's not what it looks like"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for implications of past abuse

“I thought you were dead,” says James, in a voice that’s barely there. He runs his thumb down Thomas’s cheek, as if to reassure himself that Thomas is no ghost. Thomas knows the feeling.

He swallows. “Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” he says, with an attempt at a smile. That just makes James cry harder, downright sobbing into Thomas’s chest.

“James,” he tries to say soothingly, cradling his truest love in his arms. “James, it’s all right. I’m here. You’re here. We’re alive. That’s all that matters right now.”

“But what about everything we’ve lost?” James asks, and he looks so vulnerable, gazing up at Thomas, and Thomas has never felt taller than him than at this moment. He wonders exactly what the years have taken from James, but now is not the time.

No, now is definitely not the time, not with James’s hands snaking around his back, massaging his back and shoulders. It would feel wonderful, except- “Ow.” Thomas winces, and James backs away immediately, looking horrified at himself. Thomas wishes he would come back, hold him again - even a mere foot away from James, he feels alone again, as if James is just a phantom.

“James,” he says, reaching for him, and James goes back, hesitantly, like Thomas is a horse he’s just spooked. He cocks his head at Thomas questioningly, but a suspicion is forming clearly on his face, and Thomas must quell it, for James’s sake, even if it is not far from the truth.

He shakes his head. “It’s not what you think,” he says, too quickly, and James raises an eyebrow at him.

“What do I think?” he asks carefully.

Thomas just shakes his head again. “Nothing,” he says, and his tone is meek, subdued.

James reaches out for him, taking him very gently in his arms. “Oh Thomas,” he says, and Thomas hears all the unshed tears of the past ten years there, the pain James must have been in. “What have they done to you?”

Thomas snorts. “Nothing that I didn’t let them do,” he says, in a hard voice, and perhaps that is the biggest lie of all.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> judaisgayriot asked for "Wanna dance?" for Maxanor

“Wanna dance?” says Max, and Eleanor is startled almost off her feet. She has come here, a little guiltily, every Wednesday, when Max and the other girls put on a show for the men. She comes to watch Max, but she had not realised that Max had been watching her too, had seen her staring.

“Um-yes, of course,” says Eleanor, making an attempt at graciousness. She is too brash, too loud, usually, but put a pretty girl in front of her, and she suddenly becomes awkward. Then, after a beat - “Here?” she asks.

Max smiles wistfully. “Perhaps not,” she says. “Perhaps, mademoiselle, we should withdraw to my chambers?”

Eleanor nods eagerly, and then curses herself. It’s true that she has never kissed a girl before, certainly never one as beautiful as Max, but she doesn’t want it to be  _so_ obvious to the girl in front of her. Nevertheless, Eleanor gets the feeling that Max can read her like a book.

Max smiles slyly to herself and then leads Eleanor upstairs. “You can pay, of course?” she asks, and Eleanor curses herself again.

“Yes, of course,” Eleanor says, as they enter Max’s chamber and she closes the door behind them.

“Just a formality, of course,” Max says smoothly. “I would take you for nothing, but I’m afraid Mr Noonan is not so…romantic.” Max’s lips curve into a humourless smile.

Eleanor smiles, feeling much more better - elated. Max would take her for nothing. “Of course,” she says quickly. “I understand.” She feels like she should have something more interesting to say, but it appears she does not. That’s all right, though, because Max is leaning in, placing a hand on her hip and another on her shoulder, and then they are dancing, and their bodies just  _fit_ , and it is glorious and flowing as they move together round the room.

They just dance, that night, and exchange a few kisses. It is not long, however, before the dancing and the kisses lead to something more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for bean-about-townn on tumblr. Flinthamilton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW for James's internalised homphobia

James kisses Thomas like it’s a duty.

He kisses hard, and thoroughly, and Thomas is forcibly reminded of James going systematically through his plans for Nassau, pointing out flaws and suggesting improvements. Not a very appealing thought, when they are in the bedroom.

Thomas pushes James back, and he stares up at him, questioningly.

“What is it?” James asks. As Thomas remains silent, in thought, James licks his lips, a nervous tic that Thomas has noticed James has. “Did I do it wrong? I- I’ve never kissed a man before.” He looks down, awkward, embarrassed - ashamed? That certainly won’t do, Thomas thinks, and he leans forward to kiss him, gently.

“There’s no wrong way to kiss,” Thomas says softly. “I promise. Just-” He sighs, runs a hand through his hair, “just relax,” he says, and James sniggers, like he’s said something funny. Thomas presses his lips together in a smile. “Or try to. I want you to enjoy it. Not worry about whether you’re doing it in exactly the right way.”

James laughs, a little self-consciously. “Sorry,” he says. He runs a hand through his hair as well, mirroring Thomas. “I’m just…not used to this. I don’t know how to-” He pauses, frustration etching lines of tension in his face. “How to let go,” he says finally. 

“Let me take control,” Thomas all but whispers, running his own hands through James’s hair so James sighs, eyes closing of their own accord. “Can you do that?”

James nods, head tilted back, resting in Thomas’s hands. “Yes,” he says. “Yes I can.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for bisexualpirateheart on tumblr. Maxanor

The sky is burning as Eleanor makes her way back to the tavern, exhausted and aching from hiding behind a bush all day, but otherwise none the worse for wear.

Max comes running out at the sight of her, and immediately throws her arms around her, kissing Eleanor thoroughly. It is the first time Max has kissed her in public, but after the day she’s had, she couldn’t care less.

“I thought you were dead,” Max admits, and then it comes pouring out, the distress Max must have been in, all day, not knowing where she was, and Eleanor holds her tighter. “The brawl ended, and you didn’t come back, and I thought you might be dead.”

“Bit more than a brawl,” she says. It’s true. Two crews had foolishly attempted to raid Nassau, set siege to her offices. They had been easily defeated, but Mr Scott had urged her to hide herself, because they might want to make an example of her, victors or not.

Max nods, tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she says. “You must think I’m ridiculous.”

“No,” says Eleanor truthfully. “I’m- I’m glad you care.” _At least someone does_ , she thinks bitterly, and perhaps unfairly, considering how Mr Scott had been looking out for her wellbeing. “Come on,” she mutters, pulling Max by the hand, away from the stares they are starting to attract. “Let’s get off the street.”

Max concurs, following her into the tavern.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon asked for the prompt one small kiss, pulling away for an instant, then devouring each other. Silver(flint)hamilton.

It’s been building up for weeks. James has been insinuating and teasing and encouraging him - Thomas thinks it’s payback for all the times Thomas has flirted outrageously with him before they were together, or whispered inappropriate suggestions in James’s ear while they were in public, just to watch him grow beet red.

The problem is not that he isn’t attracted to Silver. He very much is, despite all his rationalising and protestations to the country. It was that he wasn’t sure that Silver was attracted to him. James insisted he was, but Thomas was not so sure. And anyway, even if he _was_  attracted to Thomas, he had no idea how John would react if Thomas came on to him.

It is almost accidental, when it happens. Thomas is washing up, and John is putting the dishes away. John tries to bend down to a cupboard next to Thomas, and topples in to the taller man.

Thomas, without thinking, leans down and gives him a quick peck on the lips.

And then, all of a sudden, John’s eyes widen and he is surging up and kissing Thomas back, hard and desperate, and Thomas gasps in surprise and desire, letting John’s tongue into his mouth.

James, who had been out in the garden while they were washing up, is standing in the corner of the kitchen when Thomas opens his eyes, grinning smugly. Thomas narrows his eyes at him.

“Is that James standing behind us?” asks John, noticing Thomas’s distraction.

Thomas nods, breathless, and James’s grin only widens.

John raises his eyebrows, smirks. “Tell him to piss off,” he says, without even looking round to see James’s expression, and kisses Thomas again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon asked for the prompt 'top of head kisses'

“I have to go,” said Anne. “Jack’s found a lead on a prize but we have to go soon, or we’ll miss it.”

Max sighed, unhappily. “I know, ma cherie. One of my girls gave me the lead for Jack.” Of course she had, thought Anne. “I hate to let you go,” said Max. She kissed her gently on the lips before backing away, palms outstretched. “But let you go I must.”

Anne nodded. _I’ll miss you_ , she thought, but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she just bent to miss the top of Max’s forehead, nodded awkwardly at her, and backed out of the room.

Max smiled fondly after her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon asked for the prompt 'Height difference kisses where one person has to bend down and the other is on their tippy toes' for Flinthamilton. James and Thomas goes to a 70s-themed fancy dress party

On a regular day, Thomas was not quite a head taller than James. But Miranda was having a 70s party, and Thomas had decided to break out the platforms.

“Thomas,” he whined, looking up at his already tall boyfriend, practically having to crane his neck to see his face. “Why did you have to wear the platforms?”

“They’re peak 70s fashion, James!” Thomas exclaimed. “How could I not?”

“But-” James hesitated. They were on the path outside Miranda’s house. He badly wanted to be able to kiss his boyfriend, but Thomas wasn’t out to half the people at the party. This was how they had planned to come out, but even so, James wasn’t sure he wanted Thomas’s homophobic cousins to find out about them by seeing them snogging on the drive as they pulled up. Still, though. He really wanted to kiss him. “I can’t kiss you in those,” he said eventually. “You’re too tall.”

“Oh,” said Thomas softly. Then, “nonsense, James, of course I can.” He leant down to James, and went up on tiptoes and they just made it, Thomas’s arms holding him steady as they kissed.

Reluctantly, they broke apart, ignoring the stares and muttering from some of the party guests that had just arrived.

“Those really are ridiculously tall,” James complained again.

“I’m sorry, darling,” said Thomas, although he did not sound remotely contrite. “Next time I’ll wear my thigh highs.”

James’s eyebrows rose into his hairline, but he didn’t have time to enquire further, for Thomas was ringing the doorbell.

_Bastard_ , James thought, as Thomas grinned at him, but he could honestly say he had never been happier.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bisexualpirateheart asked for 'a gentle “i love you” whispered after a soft kiss, followed immediately by a stronger kiss' for Flint and Miranda. Uh, angst.

“The danger here is real. Thomas is gone. And now you and I must leave this place.”

Miranda could barely believe the words as she said them, but she had to convince James. She breathed a sigh of sickening relief, as his face shuttered and he stepped into her embrace, like a man walking to the gallows.  _Thank God it hadn’t been the gallows._

She drew back and he looked up at her, confused, vulnerable, like a child in need of his mother. She kissed him, very softly on the lips. “I love you,” she whispered.

He nodded, almost imperceptibly. Then he surged forward and took her lips with his, laying siege to them, messy and hard, tongue and teeth, and later on, Miranda would think that there was just as much hatred in that kiss as there was love.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bisexualpirateheart asked for the prompt “I can’t believe you talked me into this.” for Jack/Max/Anne, lyledebeast asked for 'Jack takes Anne to the tailors', I combined the two.

“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” said Anne, as Jack dragged her by the hand into the tailor’s.

“Well, my dear, if you and Max are to be paraded round Boston as successful leaders of Nassau, you need to look the part.”

Anne turned to look pleadingly at Max, but Max just shrugged.

“He’s right, ma cherie,” she said.

Anne glared at her. Then, taking a deep breath, she nodded at Jack, who was looking at her expectantly, and followed him inside.

“But I’m keeping my fucking hat,” she said, to no one in particular.


End file.
